Breakeven
by Onnza
Summary: The rebellion never happened and Katniss won the Hunger Games on her own. The games continue as normal and twenty four new tributes have been chosen. From the point of view of a District One male tribute. Following his progress through the games and his relationship with his fellow tribute the District One female.
1. Chapter 1

**Breakeven**

**Authors note:**

**This is my first fan fiction and it's probably awful but I'm writing this more for fun so forgive any errors and enjoy, make sure to review and comment on the story. I will post more if people want to read it.**

**This is dedicated to Jaz, for giving me the idea to write something and encouraging it. The character Jaz, is based off of her but it takes a while for the true character to become apparent. Hope you enjoy it Jaz, this is for you, much love.**

**Chapter One - **

I woke up stiffly, feeling something on the end of my bed, I look down and see my sister curled up at the end of the bed. She must have been nervous about today and decided that I would be a soothing atmosphere. I gently ease my way out of bed and stare at my reflection in the mirror. My black hair falls untidly across my forehead, creating shadows over my dull grey eyes. The only striking feature is the long scar running across my cheek and snaking down my neck from a training accident in the career training centre. I was chosen for training because of my build, I'm taller than most other potential tributes and have been forced to train with a variety of weapons until I can adapt to any situation. I turn around and using my training, walk silently to the end of my bed and gently pick up my sister Lucie. I gently carry my sister to her bedroom and tuck her into her bed, leaving her a note telling her I'm going to train and not to worry about the reaping and that she'd be fine, someone would volunter for her.

I walk out the door and begin the short walk to the training centre, it's early and I see no one walking, they probably want to spend time with their families, with the knowlege one of them may not come home tonight. I arrive at the impressive centre, I enter the weapons room and slowly look around, deciding on a vicious curved sword, I began training on the dummies around the room. I continued this for a few hours, before I collapsed exhausted on the floor, I lay still for a few minutes before I had to leave to get ready for the reaping. I quickly ran back to the house and because my mother insisted put on a dark black suit. Looking around, I see my family gathered behind me, my father looks worried and is pulling nervously at his shirt and my mother looks like she's been crying. He clears his voice roughly and nervously begins 'I..uh.. Just spoke to your trainer and he told me that you've been chosen to volunteer.' He choked the last word out, looking distraught and tears began to form behind his pale blue eyes. I stare blankly for a second before a smile makes its way across my face, I've been expecting this for years and have worked extremelly hard for this. To make it easier for myself and my family, I stare blankly and tell them 'I'd be fine and not to worry' before quickly leaving.

This simple action hurt more than I would have ever expected. I start to slowly walk to the square, thinking hard about my family and how I'll probably never see them again. I was lost in my dark thoughts and almost didn't see my sister surronded by three guys, I stop and hear one of them shout 'Grab the bitch and lets go.' I cough loudly and they all turn, I start sizing them up and am pretty confident this fight will be short lived. Their leader sqaured up to me, before he had a chance to utter a word my fist connected with his nose, shattering it. The other two guys, both shorter than me, rushed me together. I side-stepped and avoided a punch, before shattering some ribs with a short, brutal kick to the taller mans stomach, before kicking him in the side of the head. The last guy began spluttering apolagies and promising to repay me, I grab his neck and stare into his terrified eyes and tell him if he ever touches my sister again that I would hunt him down. My sister ran up to me and hugged me, mumbling something about her being sorry and that it would never happene again, I stare at her and immediatly tell her it isn't her fault and not to worry, before sending her home to get ready for the reaping.

I sigh to myself, she's only thirteen and will be lost without me, so sweet and innocent. If she comes and visits me after the reaping, I'll have to make sure she understands what she needs to, to survive. I supress the feeling of guilt, I'm doing all of this to make sure she survives, it's for her own good even if she doesn't know that. I ignore the pain in my hand and continue to the reaping, eager to start a new chapter in my life.

People slowly began to file into the small, crowded square giving the impression of a large, ordered district, which is probably the intention of the Capital. After a few minutes the past victors and the Capital escort take their places. The escort is wearing an odd assortment of fruits weaved into a short dress and her hair is covered almost entirely by a large bowl containing what looks like, grapes and kiwi. She taps the microphone twice, to get the crowds attention, and begins to recite an old speech about how the rebels tried to overthrow the capital and failed and the hunger games are created to punish us. I immediatly stop listening and begin to size up my competiton, writing off the girls around me as average until my gaze falls upon a girl in the sixteen section.

She's small, smaller than most of the other sixteen year olds but her sea green eyes have a fierce passion inside them and the other girls keep a wide distance away from her. Her skin is pale, contrasting with the dark skin of most of the other sixteen year olds around her, in addition to this she radiates confidence and something else, that I can't recognise. This aura is probably why the other girls stay away from her and the fact that she is absolutely beautiful, I've been looking for a few seconds and have already seen more than a few envious glances. I've already decided I like this girl, just as I decide this she catches a glance from another girl and begins to shout obscenities at the girl. The other girl looks worried but squares up to her regardless. The confident girl turns away, feigning shyness before swinging and catching the girl on the jaw with a punch, she sways slightly but stays on her feet before a kick to the stomach and a sharp uppercut leave her writhing on the floor and gasping for breath. The confident girl smiles, straightens her crimson hair and turns her attention to the reaping, ignoring the girl infront of her. The escort smiles and with her annoying capital voice overenthusiastically shouts 'Ladies first!' and begins to search around in the glass bowl full of names. The odd thing is that the one thought going through my head is about the girl with red hair, praying for her safety and hoping she notices me when I volunteer, the safety of this girl I've never spoken to is more important than my sister at this moment, this thought scares me more than the prospect of the Hunger Games.

These thoughts were interrupted by the escort shouting 'Jasmine Brewer.' I turn slowly dreading what I might see, I find the confident girl moving towards the stage. All I can think is 'Fuck, fuck, fuck.' My brain has shut down, I'm not capable of thinking anything and can only stare as the stunning girl walks slowly to her death. She reaches the stage and turns around, I can see her clearly now and notice the attair she chose to wear to the reaping, most girls turn up in dresses and skirts, she wore jeans and a t-shirt. This girl has style, even her dress sense screams rebellion and confidence. The Escort moves towards her and joyfully shouts, 'Everyone meet your tribute for District One, Jasmine!' The girl turns sharply and shoved the escort, she fell heavily to the group and the crowd gasped. She moved to the microphone and says, 'it's Jaz, not Jasmine and the next person who calls me Jasmine, dies.'

To her credit, the Escort recovers well and, after slowly getting to her feet, moves on to the boys reaping. She calls 'Jacob Tansley.' A bland and average name, I'm practically saving him from a meaningless death. I walk towards the stage but am cut off by an eighteen year old I recognise from training standing infront of me. He stares at me and asks what I think I'm doing. I ignore him and move closer, punching him hard in the nose, before swiftly following with two more punches, one to the eye and one to the ear. I block a feeble punch he throws and kick him in the stomach and finish with a strong punch to the neck, leaving him gasping for breath, I make my way onto the stage and confidently say 'I volunteer.'

The Escort tries to move me to the centre of the stage, I push her off me roughly and she's forced a few steps back and I say clearly into the microphone 'Tobias James, my friends call me Toby, so call me Tobias' before stepping back and moving towards Jaz. I meet her eye and silently pray she realises I'm yearning to protect her and shake her hand, making sure I'm as gentle as possible. Still staring into eachother's eyes she cocks her head questionly and I let go of her hand and turn around, glaring at the crowd.

The peacekeepers surrond us and move us towards the Justice Building to say goodbye to our familys. I'm forced into a large room, covered entirely by a dark red carpet and all red furniture, the effect this causes on the black walls gives the room an eerie feel. My family interrupt my analysing and begin to franticly cling on to me, and inbetween crying fits all shout goodbye. I forced myself to remain detached, telling myself it would make it easier for my family when I'm gone and sat there passively while they hugged me. This continued for a few minutes before they were forced to move out of the room by the peacekeepers, I was surpised, I thought the goodbyes lasted longer but I wasn't disappointed, it was uncomfortable and I wanted to leave anyway.

The peacekeepers attempted to grab me and force me out of the room but I forced them off of me and confidently walked out of the building towards the train, I turn to have one last look at my district but got distracted by Jaz walking slowly out of the building, flanked by peacekeepers. She gives me a cold glare and I avert my eyes and get slowly on the train, trying to get the images of this girl out of my head, it would make it harder for me to kill her later, not that I could see myself doing that, if anything I'd try and protect her. I had an idea in my head to approach Jaz and try and propose an alliance, after we've broken from the careers but decide that I should give her time to let everything sink in. I go to my train compartment and climb ontop of my bed and closed my eyes, inviting sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Breakeven**

**This is my second chapter, ignore any spelling mistakes and errors, if people like it then I'll do more.**

**Once again, dedicated to Jaz.**

**'Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest**

**White is cold and always yearning burdened by a royal test**

**Black the beast descends from shadows**

**Yellow beauty burns gold'**

**Chapter Two**

I'm woken by a banging on my door, I rise slowly and move towards it and hear my Escort shouting something incoherent about it being a big day ahead of us. I sigh loudly and turn around, looking around the room I'm staying in. I step into the bathroom, removing my reaping gear and step into the shower. I instantly got confused by the sheer volume of buttons and knobs on the shower, I stand there pressing buttons until I finally get warm water to work. I leave smelling like strawberry and lavender, I make my way out of the shower and towards the drawer of clothes.

I stand there for a second debating on what to wear, I finally decide on a short black shirt and black trousers, stopping just after the knee, the typical training clothes. I wasn't ready to go to breakfast and listen to the Escort's piercing voice or catch the glare of Jaz just yet,so I decided to do some exercise for a few hours.

When I was ready, I left the room quietly and headed down the hall, noticing the expensive carpet and art work surrounding the floor and walls. I silently approached the breakfast table and caught my first glimpse of the mentor, he was a large black man,smaller than me, with large snake tattoos on each cheek. He saw me and nodded and gestured for me to sit down, I took the seat opposite and he introduced himself as 'Michael' and began to tell me that we have to work on my strategy and how the careers are going to work this year. While this was happening, Jaz was sitting there unaware of the conversation we were having, just staring at me, probably wondering how best to kill me.

This continues for a few minutes before I finally turn to her and say 'Why are you staring at me? If we're going to be allies then we need to communicate' She stared icily at me and replied sarcastically 'Because if we communicate, then we won't need to kill each other at the end.' I sat there seething with anger, how dare she talk to me like that! I blinked dumbly at her and she smiled confidently. Regardless of the fact that she just made me look stupid, I felt myself warming to this girl.

Jaz got up and left, saying something about not liking any of us and how we're not worthy of speaking to her. Charming. I turn my attention back to my mentor, who begins to ask about my strengths are and which angle I want to play in the interviews and during the games.

We both decided that because of my size and my natural skill with weapons, I should be intimidating and not open up to the crowd, not a hard angle to play and it gives me time to focus on sizing up the competition and figuring out the situation with Jaz.

It's not even a romantic thing, just something about her that gives me an urge to protect her and make sure she's okay, regardless of how much of a bitch she's been acting. I realized even though if I don't win, I'd want her to, I'd also give my life to protect her. She just that effect on me. I'm about to turn around and talk to my mentor about making sure to protect her and give her priority with the gifts from sponsors and attention given to her, when I feel a hand on my shoulder.

I turn to see my mentor standing beside me, he stares at me intently and clears his throat, roughly and says, 'I know what you're thinking kid, I've seen the way you look at her, I'll take care of her if you don't win or if I feel like she has more of a chance.'

I'm surprised and don't speak for a few moments before saying, simply, 'Thanks, means a lot.' My mentor just nods and tells me to get ready to watch the recaps and to make sure that Jaz knows that she has to be there, I just nod in reply. I stand there and watch my mentor walk slowly to his room, I stand there just thinking about what he told me. I feel like a huge weight has been taken off of my shoulders, I no longer have to worry about her safety in the arena if I die and can't protect her. It feels good knowing that someone is helping me with my plan of her safety.

I walk slowly down the hall in the train, making sure to make little noise so the Escort doesn't come out and try to talk to me. I continue at this slow pace until I make it to my room, then I heard noises coming from Jaz's room. I slowly creep along the hall until I'm standing outside her door.

I know I shouldn't, but I put my ear to the door and heard someone singing. I stay with my ear to the door completely stunned, the voice is incredible. I don't know which song she's singing but I instantly love it, just because of her angelic voice. I instantly knew that I had to make sure it was Jaz singing, so I slowly wrap my hand around the door knob and slowly turn it and push the door open.

She's standing with her back to the wall, wearing simple training clothes like me and her red hair is down and flowing freely over her shoulders. She looks incredible and I can't even see her face, she stays like this for a few minutes and continues singing. I catch a few lyrics, the only part of the song I remember is 'Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest.' The only reason I remember this is because she made it sound so haunting and eerily perfect.

She turns sharply and catches me standing there staring, open mouthed. She walks towards me calmly, raises a fist and catches me square in the jaw, hard. The only thing I can think to say is, 'Oh my god, you sound amazing.' She turns and immediately raises a fist again and asks if I'm trying to piss her off, I back away slowly and protest my innocence, telling her she does sound amazing and is really talented, she seems satisfied by this answer and lowers her fist.

She replies confidently but slightly shyly, 'Uh... Thanks, sorry about your jaw, ish.' I smile sheepishly and tell her that it was a weak punch, her eyes flare dangerously so I hold my hands up to show I'm joking, and smile in apology. I say sorry again and back out of the room, never showing my back to her, not trusting her to not punch me again and tell her to get ready to watch the recap. She nods and I leave.

I leave the room in a daze, thinking about her amazing voice and how quickly her mood changed from hostile to friendly. I decide that I need to watch her carefully, she could explode at any moment, like a bomb. I go to my room, splash water over my face to try and wake myself up before heading to the main compartment to watch the recap. I head out of the room, not bothering to silence my movements, thinking that I'd have to confront the Escort anyway, so it's not worth the effort.

I enter the main room and see the our mentor seated as far away as possible from our Escort, who looks incredibly drunk, to emphasize this, she stands up holding a bottle of mine and tries to hug me. I grab her wrist and twist it sharply, causing her to drop the bottle and roughly shove her onto the sofa, she looks up surprised. I lean in and whisper sinisterly in her ear, 'If you ever try and touch me again, I'll break that fucking wrist' before taking my seat next to our mentor. Jaz turns up a few minutes later and looks surprised at the atmosphere in the room but doesn't question it, instead she just takes her seat next to the Escort and turns her attention to the T.V.

The reaping's begin with the Capital seal appearing on the screen before President Snow gives a speech about how this years Hunger Games will prove to be one of the best yet and how the games must not lose their purpose as a punishment for the districts for rebelling against the Capital. The screen then flicks to, Caesar Flickerman the man who runs the interviews of all the tributes before the Hunger Games. He talks about how there are some real characters out there and it could prove very interesting to everyone watching. Follow this, Jaz sighs loudly and mumbles annoyed, 'Do we really have to watch this, it's repetitive and boring.'

The mentor shushes her quickly, she looks annoyed and ready to snap before he gently tells her that this is important and could be the difference between life or death. She nods and turns her attention back to the reaping.

We're shown first, Jaz looking defiant and glaring at anyone who dared make eye contact, she looked hostile and threatening and glowed radiantly even in jeans and a t-shirt. When I'm called I walk slowly to the stage looking bored, when my fight with the boy from training appears I smile wickedly and quickly dispose of him, before my face returns to it's bored expression. The capital shows Jaz pushing the Escort over and me pushing her roughly while Caesar commentates over it, saying that we must have been grumpy after being selected, earning a round of applause and laughter from the audience. When the Escort hears this she turns to us and Jaz silences her with a glare that put mine to shame. I grin and begin to laugh before the next District begins.

I stare intently, ready to begin sizing up the competition. The Escort for District two is wearing a multi-coloured short skirt that leaves little to the imagination and, what looks like, more makeup than the entire audience combined. She steps towards the microphone and begins to recite the same speech about the Hunger Games before she exclaims, 'Ladies first!' and reaches into the bowl and picks out a slip of paper. She reads the name 'Holly Grover' before a muscular girl runs to the stage and shouts, 'Jade Free, I volunteer.' The escort claps loudly and gestures for the District to do the same, she received an enthusiastic round of applause.

She looks surprised at the lack of the support but continues regardless, 'Now for the boys!' She reaches into the bowl and pulls out a slip of paper, she got half way through the name before 4 men from the eighteen's section all try running towards the stage. The biggest of the four tackles the smallest and begins throwing weak punches to his face and stomach, before being kicked viciously in the forehead and punched heavily in the eye. He fell back and lay still, leaving the last two remaining standing to battle it out. The larger of the two, begins with a kick to the stomach and a punch to the eye, leaving his opponent dazed. He turns around cockily, before being kicked in the ribs and punched in the back of the head, he turns quickly and punches him in the neck, knocking him down.

He walked calmly to the stage, introduced himself as Daniel Winters and shook Jade's hand, before standing stiffly, almost afraid to look relaxed or comfortable on the stage. Our mentor pauses the reaping and turns to Jaz and I, 'They're both a threat, the girl looks muscular and the male proved to be a decent fighter, if somewhat cocky, don't write them off.' We both nod in agreement and begin to look back to the reaping, but he stops us. 'Go back to your rooms, get some sleep, we can continue this tomorrow, you two both need to be sharp for your chariot rides.'

We both stand up and walk slowly to our rooms, Jaz is about to enter hers before I stop her. I stare intently into her perfect, sea green eyes and say, 'We're going to be allies, at least when we're with the careers, can we try and get along, this may sound stupid, but I care about whether or not you survive, if I don't win then I want you to, allies?'

She looks surprised and stands there for a moment, 'Can I have a few minutes to think about it?' I nod and leave her to it, returning to my room, I stand leaning against the door, for what feels like forever. Finally, I hear a knocking on the door, wait a second and open it, Jaz is standing there, looking nervous.

'We're District partners so we should try and stick together, we have a duty to stick with each other and when you decide to break from the careers, I'll come with you if we're both alive and you still want to. I'm not going to change for you and this doesn't mean anything but I'm up for it, allies?' She says this quickly and nervously, before sticking out her hand, I quickly shake it and am about to turn around before she says seriously, 'I'm in charge of this alliance, you do what I say when I say it' She deliberates for a moment before saying, 'like my bitch.'

I turn around laughing, shut my door in her face and climb on top of my bed, I close my eyes for a second, thinking that I would get up and get ready for bed in a second. I fell into a dreamless sleep almost instantly, ready for the Capital tomorrow.


End file.
